Let the international student voice be heard

With spring drawing to a close, outdoor activities become the order of the day and hiking, hunting, fishing, swimming and vacationing to places like Hawaii, the Bahamas, Europe, Africa and Asia become the desire of almost everyone.

One vacation spot that seldom crosses the mind, especially for those who love the outdoors, is the country of Kuwait. It is located in the northeast of the Arabian Peninsula, sharing bounders with Iraq, Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf.

Sulaiman lbuloushi is an accounting freshman from Kuwait. He visited America with his dad when he was 5-years-old, and once believed America was embodied in Disneyland. As an adult he has come to view America differently and now has greater appreciation for his home country.

Kuwait is known for its beautiful beaches, lakes, rivers and streams, which provide a relaxing location to pursue many outdoor activities.

“If you love relaxing at the beach or spending time reading a novel, watching the birds sing and fly around, appreciating the beautiful blue skies and enjoying the heat from the rays of the sun while you fish, Kuwait is the place for you,” Albuloushi said.

Now that Albuloushi is in college and has to pay bills, taxes and tuition, he appreciates his home more than ever before.

“I love my country because everything is free. We love our government, in fact in the whole Arabian [world], there is no country that loves their government as much as Kuwait,” Albuloushi said.

In Kuwait, the government pays for every citizen’s tuition through college, and even provides its college student salaries every month to take care of themselves. There are also no taxes and weddings are sponsored by the government. When it comes to loans, people are only required to pay half of it back.

The Emirs, who are the heads of state, meet and converse with common people freely.

“At age 7, my father always took me to these places where they discussed with the Emir on how to make the country better,” Albuloushi said. “This brings a feeling of unity to the people of Kuwait.”

The attitude of the government towards its citizens explains the flamboyant lifestyle that people in Kuwait live, especially considering the fact that the Muslim dress code is not compulsory.

Elderly men prefer to wear dish dashas, an ankle-length white shirt, and a minority of the women wear abaya, which is a black over-garment covering most parts of the body. But others dress more like Americans.

Kuwait is the fifth largest oil-producing country and the fifth richest country per capita in the world. Despite the fact that it is the smallest country in the world in terms of land area, it can afford to care for and cater to all its citizens. No wonder Albuloushi loves his country with a passion.